A win for Congresswoman Bush

Incumbent Congresswoman Cori Bush handily defeated Republican Andrew Jones to retain her District 1 seat, garnering 73% of the votes.

After becoming Missouri’s first Black congresswoman in 2020, on Tuesday she became the first to be re-elected. It seems as though she will set a new record every two years.

Bush says being the first is an honor, but being the first isn’t her only job.

“I am standing at the door holding it open for others to come and make a positive difference for St. Louis and the state of Missouri,” she said.

“That’s why we’re here; because people feel represented,” Bush said during her victory speech. 

Bush and supporters watched election results at her headquarters in north St. Louis County. Her signature purple decor filled out the space as her supporters talked and congregated while dining on barbeque and watching MSNBC.

It was a smaller crowd compared to her Democratic primary watch party in August where she celebrated a landslide win over state Sen. Steve Roberts. Bush was still just as hyped and excited upon learning the race had been called in her favor.

“It’s time for change, and Cori represents the change we all need all over the state of Missouri,” said Cathy Daniels, better known as Mama Cat of the Pot Bangerz Feed The Mission community organization. 

Bush’s margin of victory in the general election against a woeful GOP representative showed her voters are satisfied with her work in Washington, D.C.

“Her heart is with the people,” said Daniels.

“The harder she fights, the harder those come against her.”

Jada Aleem, a student at the University of Missouri St. Louis said attending the watch party “is very inspirational.”

“To see someone who looks like her doing the work that she also believes in… seeing her enables me to follow in her footsteps,” said Aleem.

Andrew Smith echoed Aleem’s sentiments saying that it’s almost surreal to be in that space seeing her success. He said he knew Bush before she became a congresswoman. Smith lived in Ferguson and remembers the Ferguson Uprising after Micheal Brown was killed by a former Ferguson police officer. 

“Seeing her gives me hope to keep pushing for what I believe in,” said Smith.

Smith said what impressed him the most about the congresswoman was when she camped outside the U.S. Capitol steps in hopes of extending the eviction moratorium during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Her radical love makes it possible for us to continue this fight,” he said.

Supporter Justin Raymundo says that he thinks Bush has done an amazing job in bringing in significant investment and other resources into Missouri, especially in the 1st Congressional District.

“It shows her impact and her effectiveness,” he said.

“We want to do this with the entire community because it takes the entire community to make a difference,” said Bush.

“We gotta make St. Louis thrive, and St. Louis only thrives if the people are thriving.”

During her speech, Bush said it doesn’t matter if she doesn’t get corporate or political PAC money, and is proud that she would not accept it if offered.

“I won’t be accountable to anyone but the people, and that will not change,” she said.  

“We did it without [PAC money] and we’ll continue to do without it,” said Bush. 

Bush might find herself in the House minority, if Republicans win the majority of seats this election.

“Regardless of what the playing field looks like, we’re going to fight like hell,” she said.